A TIP circle on Blackjack layout?

The Blackjack tables at WinnaVegas, Sloan, Iowa, have a TIP circle opposite to the SHORTIE side bet (at 2 o'clock position and the side bet SHORTIE - a red short pant - is at 10 o'clock). The picture shows a SHORTIE Blackjack table. I think all their tables have a TIP circle. Have you seen any other casinos having a TIP circle on the layouts? a good or bad idea? WinneVegas will duck boat players to the casino soon.

It's not alone. Look upt he "Scossa" thread in the baord. It has a bet for a dealer tip, too.

I noticed at Mystic Lake in Minnesota the players tip the dealers way less than at other casinos I have visited. Is there something I don't know, as in are the dealers paid way more than at other casinos so that tips are not necessary to make a decent wage? In fact, until a few years ago, they didn't even have toke boxes.

Quote: JuniorWiz

I noticed at Mystic Lake in Minnesota the players tip the dealers way less than at other casinos I have visited. Is there something I don't know, as in are the dealers paid way more than at other casinos so that tips are not necessary to make a decent wage? In fact, until a few years ago, they didn't even have toke boxes.

I think us Minnesotans are a bit shy about our tipping. It seems like it's more common to tip at the end of a session here than it is to play tips throughout. Mystic is a tip shared house, and I'm told the average dealer makes about $20-$25/hour after tips. They have a pretty big shift differential, and there's a reasonable escalator for experience as well. Also, somewhat contrary to what I've seen elsewhere, people in the high-limit room at Mystic seem to tip a bigger percentage than people on the floor do. That'll help the payouts!

*edit* about the toke boxes: They used to be under the table, with a drop slot (like for the rake on a poker table) next to the cash drop slot. After the remodel/refelting, they went to the standard acrylic boxes. I have no idea if tip-rates have increased, but I'm told that the hope was that the change might foster more tipping.

As I was sitting between two unbelievably intoxicated guys at Harrah's North KC last night, it occured to me that Mystic Lake is a dry casino. I bet that has a strong negative correlation with the in-game tip rate.

Tipping can vary greatly from state to state or even city to city. My dad drove a cab in Baltimore for years and tips supported our family. When I moved to Denver in the 80's, I would always chat up the drivers. Most were from cities back East. All said it took a while to realize people here just don't tip as a general rule

I recall tip circles at Jackpot Junction several years ago. Haven't been there in a long time though. I once witnessed a tip box on a self service slot kiosk. Not really sure why anyone would tip a machine for cashing out their slot ticket but there was change in the box.

Count me among the indifferent. I have met several people who were going to a casino for the first time or just got back form an initial trip and were suprised to know you even could tip the dealer let alone it was how they made most of their money. So to me the "TIP circle" falls between informing and tip-hustling. It would not affect my tip pattern much except that it is a little nice to know where that house wants the tips place as I do feel self-concious if I have to ask where to place the tip-bet.

If they want to increase tips another way is to somehow, in a classy way, inform players a dealer-bet has a lower minimum. I doubt I am alone in I would prefer to make 5 $1 tip-bets than 1 $5 tip bet. I know mathematically it is meaningless but I like the "we are a team" feeling of the tip bet and to make it last longer is nicer. If I do this I also like to string those 5 bets over 10-15 of my own. Good dealers know I'm going to play the whole total and don't seem to mind.

The biggest reason they have the tip circles at WinnaVegas is because, at least as of a year or two ago, the dealers "go their own." Anybody who knows that area knows that the farmers probably wouldn't tip if the betting circle wasn't there. Most of the tables are also $3 or $2 tables. $5 tables used to be considered higher limit, and on a rare occasion, you might see a $10 table.

It has been a long time since I've been to WinnaVegas, but that's where my grandma and I used to gamble before I was 21 (they were an 18 and over casino). She has long since passed on, and I remember that casino fondly. When I went back a couple years ago, many of the dealers remembered me.

A tip circle on the blackjack layout looks like tip hustling to me. The dealers didn't put it there so they can't be blamed unless they keep pointing it out.

I have a friend who is a decent tipper but will not make a bet for the dealer at the blackjack table. He just can't stand the fact that the house gets the losing bet. When he wants to include the dealer, he'll put a red chip to the side of his stack and tell the dealer,"That's yours if I win the hand." Obviously the dealer never gets to drop double the bet as if it had been played and won. He does this a couple of times and hour, makes good on doubles and splits and tips after every blackjack.

He usually bets light green, doesn't count and doesn't sweat the money. What he loves is the social aspect of the game. He is a terrible blackjack player but a really good guy and coincidentally his first name is George. What dealer wouldn't love this guy?

I saw the worst example of tip hustling at Eureka in Mesquite. The worst! The dealer actually said to me, "how about something for the boys next to you on the line?" Not even a muttering under his breath. I should have colored out right there, but I played a little, and won. The guy next to me was a new player and the dealers goaded him to put $3 on the line and odds behind -- probably much more than he was willing to tip. They also encouraged him to press his bets. I tipped the crew $12 after I finished. I should have told them "don't tip hustle."

I posted about this some time ago and it is still going on. A dealer that I am familiar with who frequently deals $25 blackjack games constantly hustles for tips. One of his ploys is to pay a green chip with 4 red and 2 pink. He then says to the player," You know what those pinks are for." He also tells players that if they take care of him, he will take care of them, strongly implying that he can help them win.

This shameless and annoying behavior reflects badly on the dealers and the entire casino.

While playing in a US casino, I once had a dealer (who knew I was from Canada) ask the question, "What's the difference between a Canadian and a canoe? A canoe tips." The next day he was asking himself, "What's the difference between me and an employed blackjack dealer?". I'm not a fan of tip hustling and most certainly not in such a rude fashion.

Most dealers don't even know it, but it is much better for the dealer to give him the toke than to bet the toke.

rdw4potus, Mystic Lake may be dry, but about 12 years ago the dry drink non-cocktail waitress let us put our tokes in her cleavage.

Quote: JuniorWiz

rdw4potus, Mystic Lake may be dry, but about 12 years ago the dry drink non-cocktail waitress let us put our tokes in her cleavage.

Can we back up to the part where you were, almost by definition, sober when you asked to do that? ;-)

I really like that casino. The rules could be better, but that's mostly the state's fault (slots limited to 95% payback, VP limited to 98%...). The layout is open and airy, the ceilings are high, the food is generally good. If I could trade beer for cigarettes, It'd be pretty much perfect. Plus, the non-cocktail waitresses are cute and apparently let you put tips in fun places. They also allow - borderline encourage - counting and bet spreading (but NOT Wonging).

My friend has been kicked out at Mystic lake for counting several times; he probably spreads too big. I have been there 20 times and still get lost in the big circles. The parking lot is crazy. All the sections have Indian names. This is fine, but they are not in alphabetical order or anything, so even if you remember you parked in "Tomahawk", it is not really helpful.